ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · calf · mug · can · roll · rule · cabinet · wind

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — a face
  3. roll — a list
  4. rule — a law
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. can — a tin
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wind — moving air
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. roll — a cake
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. mug — to rob
  15. clip — for paper
  16. wind — moving air
  17. clip — to cut
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. can — a tin
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. can — to be able to
  23. clip — a video
  24. rule — government

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com